Watauga Farmers' Market plans

Herb and Plant Day Saturday

Special from the Watauga County Farmers' Market

Watauga County Farmers' Market will be celebrating Herb and Plant Day on May 23 with the music of The Sheets Family.

Deborah Jean and Randy Sheets and daughter Kelly are well known for their tight harmonies and are listed in the Blue Ridge National Heritage Directory.

Tumbling Shoals Farm will have chemical free strawberries, lacinato kale, rainbow chard, radishes, escarole, endive, salad mix, romaine lettuce, red and green leaf lettuce, arugula, spicy greens mix and baby bok choy next Saturday.

Richard Boylan will be bringing organic asparagus, mint, shiitake mushrooms and chives, plus organically grown Caroline raspberries in two gallon pots.

Ann Rose will have greens, lettuce, pasture-based pork raised on her Rose Mountain Farm, shiitake mushrooms and logs, various herbs, and will have poultry for the market in four weeks.

Jeff and Will Thomas of Creeksong Farms will have beef, onions, and tomato and basil plants to offer.

Bill Moretz is still accepting sign ups for apple CSAs and pre-orders for free range poultry. He will have plenty of pesticide free lettuces and spring onions at the market this Saturday.

Charles Church will have plenty of lettuce, spinach, mustard, lamb's quarters, sorghum molasses, garlic, onions and chard, along with sausage, ribs, pork roasts, side meat, fat back and pork backbones.

Megan Ward of Hold the Heat Raw Food Makery will be featuring raw kombucha, granola, flax chips, raw chocolate and other various raw food specialties.

Carol Coulter of Heritage Homestead Farm will be bringing feta, farmers' cheese and roasted red pepper basil pesto.

Andy Bryant of AB Farms has introduced edible treats, such as tarts and cookies this year.

Eric Randal has been hand-crafting copper cookie cutters since 2001, and he does custom work such as keepsake hand cookie cutters formed to the shape of your child's hand.

Billy Joe Ward will have planters, more suet feeders, loose fill bird feeders and other unique thing-a-ma-bobs.

Ruth Vannoy's stand at the market will feature several new products, including handmade picture frames with pressed flowers, woodland ferns and wildflowers, pounded flower clothes, and a new series of handmade paper cards.

The Wednesday morning markets have been moved to Wednesday afternoons for the 2009 season. The time is tentatively set for 4 - to 7 p.m., starting on June 17.

The market is located at the Horn in the West in Boone, turn next to First Citizens Bank on the N.C. 105 Extension and go to the top of the hill. Call market manager Karen Bauman at 1-828-355-4918 or visit o http://wcfm.info for more information.

The market will be open rain or shine.

May Watauga County Farmers’ Market Supper
Submitted by Shiloh Avery and Jason Roehrig of Tumbling Shoals Farm

* 4 T olive oil
* 2 bunches chopped green onions from Watauga River Farms
* One bunch (4-6 C) coarsely chopped rainbow chard from Tumbling Shoals Farm
* salt to taste
* 1 package spinach linguine or other fresh pasta from Pasta Wench
* 1 5 oz package of feta cheese from Heritage Homestead
* freshly ground black pepper

Cook pasta in pot of salted boiling water with oil (be careful not to overcook-fresh pasta is different than dried). Meanwhile, Heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet. Saute the onion and chard stems in the oil for about 6 minutes. Add the chard greens and salt; cook until wilted. Add the feta cheese and pasta and continue cooking for another minute. Add ground black pepper to taste and serve.

Feeds 3-4; Prep time: 35 minutes
Adapted from Mollie Katzen’s Still Life with Menu